Solutions that don’t break the bank, reinvent the wheel or marginalize our teachers are within our grasp. We could have rigorous classes, safe and disciplined schools and treat teachers like valued colleagues rather than easily replaceable cogs, and we could do so tomorrow if we wanted. Disclaimer, this is an opinion and commentary site and should not be confused as a news site. Also know that quite often people may disagree with the opinions posted.

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Poverty is a lot more than just an excuse.

The ed deformers say poverty is nothing but an excuse. Yeah kind of the way gravity is just an excuse that we don't float off into space. More and more academic research is coming out showing how debilitating it actual is.
New research suggests that children who experience poverty early on in their lives may suffer negative brain changes that can lead to lifelong problems, such as learning difficulties, depression and the inability to cope with stress. This is according to a study published in JAMA Pediatrics.http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/268066.phpChildhood socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with cognitive achievement throughout life.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3575682/First of all, even if you look only at the direct impact of rising inequality on middle-class Americans, it is indeed a very big deal. Beyond that, inequality probably played an important role in creating our economic mess, and has played a crucial role in our failure to clean it up.http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/12/16/opinion/krugman-why-inequality-matters.htmlPeople always say education can be the great equalizer, then they turn around and siphon out resources and kneecap the profession of teaching. You know why they say poverty is nothing but an excuse? It is because the money it would cost to address it would go into our schools and not into their bank accounts.